The Patriots have steadied themselves after a brutal opening stretch, but that hasn’t changed the bigger conversation around the roster: this team can still use help, especially with the trade deadline creeping closer. At 4-3, New England has worked its way back into the mix after sitting dead last in PPG through three weeks, then rattling off three straight wins before the loss to the Bears on TNF. Injuries have played their part, with Romeo Doubs, Mack Hollins, and Alijah Vera-Tucker still out, but the Patriots have stayed afloat anyway.
Now comes a chance to keep building. New England gets a favorable spot against the one-win Dolphins and is favored by more than a touchdown.
A win would move the Patriots to 5-3 and 3-0 in the AFC East, with victories over every division rival. That kind of record matters, especially as the weather turns and the season tightens.
And while the Patriots have shown enough resilience to stay competitive, they should still be active when the deadline arrives. One team worth watching is the Chargers, who have tumbled hard after making the playoffs last season.
They’re winless, and Justin Herbert hasn’t played well. That kind of collapse makes them a natural seller, and New England should be ready to pick through what’s available.
The Chargers do have a few names that could interest the Patriots, including Dalvin Tomlinson and Khalil Mack. But the more intriguing target is linebacker Daiyan Henley, a younger option who could help New England’s second level now and well beyond 2026.
Henley has been one of Los Angeles’ most productive defenders. After a quiet rookie year, he piled up 147 tackles and a sack in his second season, then followed that with another year over 100 tackles and a career-high 3.5 sacks.
He was everywhere against the Patriots in last season’s Wildcard round, finishing with 13 tackles. This year, through six games, he already has 36 tackles and two fumble recoveries.
If he keeps averaging six tackles per game, he’d reach 100 again for the third straight season.
The timing could work for New England, too. Henley turns 27 in November and is in a contract year, which could make the Chargers open to moving him for a pick. A fifth-round return seems reasonable if Los Angeles decides to sell.
That idea makes even more sense when you look at the Patriots’ linebacker room. New England completely remade the group in 2025.
Jack Gibbens left for the Cardinals despite being a restricted free agent, Jahlani Tavai was released, Marte Mapu was initially released before being traded to the Houston Texans, and Chad Muma was cut in August. Robert Spillane and Christian Elliss are the starters, but the depth behind them is thin and mostly untested.
Waiver claim Darius Muasau has struggled in limited work, while rookies Namdi Obiazor and Erick Hunter have been excellent on special teams but have combined for just 20 defensive snaps. Khalil Jacobs, another rookie who looked promising, went on IR before the season began. The Patriots are essentially using a two-man system at linebacker, and the backups have averaged only 7.2 defensive snaps per week combined.
That leaves New England vulnerable if either starter misses time. Henley would give them a far more reliable answer.
Beyond the regular season numbers, he’s also shown he can handle the spotlight, with 23 tackles in two playoff games. If the Patriots end up needing that kind of production in January, he fits.
There’s also a long-term angle here. Elliss is set to be a free agent after the season, and Spillane will be 32 when his contract ends after the 2027 season. With the young depth pieces still not making much of an impact on defense, Henley could help bridge both the present and the future.
If the Patriots want to shore up the second level, Daiyan Henley should be on the list.
In Other News...
Patriots Trade Deadline Focus Is Shifting To A Growing Pass Rush Need
The Patriots trade deadline planning is starting to tilt toward the one area that has quietly lingered as a problem: generating consistent pressure off the edge. With the defense still searching for more reliable disruption and Harold Landry IIIs return clouded by injury uncertainty, it makes sense that pass rush help has moved closer to the front of the conversation as the deadline approaches.
A few names are already getting discussed as possibilities, with Tuli Tuipulotu, YaYa Diaby and Will McDonald IV all surfacing as edge rushers worth monitoring based on how their current situations line up. None of that means a deal is imminent, but it does show where New Englands attention may be turning if the right opportunity presents itself and the front office decides the pass rush needs more than internal answers. [Read more 🡒]
Patriots Suddenly Have A Receiver Situation Fans Need To Watch
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If Nacua were to become available down the line, he would immediately jump to the top of the kind of receiver conversation the Patriots have to be having behind the scenes. The appeal is obvious for a team trying to stabilize its passing game, but there is still plenty of distance between speculation and reality, and the bigger question for New England is how the rest of its receiving depth settles in before that market even opens. [Read more 🡒]
Patriots Trade Flurry Leaves One Big Question Before The Deadline
The Patriots have spent the last stretch of the year working the phones, making six trades since the start of 2026 and adding four players who have already gotten into games this season. The busiest moves have brought in help across the roster, including wide receiver Brown and running back Kiner, while Jaylen Reed and Rouse have also been part of the run of deal-making as New England keeps trying to patch holes and find useful pieces for the stretch drive.
Browns arrival gave the Patriots another option at receiver, but the broader question is how much of a return they are actually getting from this wave of transactions. Kiner has settled in as the third back and Reed has carved out his own role, yet the deadline still leaves New England with a lingering issue about whether these moves are building a deeper team or simply creating more moving parts for a roster still searching for dependable production. [Read more 🡒]